Alaskan Congressman Don Young played a key role in this morning’s hearing held by the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials entitled “The Safety of Hazardous Liquid Pipelines: Integrity Management.” Representatives of Alyeska testified at this morning’s hearing.
“This subcommittee is trying to use Alyeska as a scapegoat for what has happened in the Gulf of Mexico and it’s wrong,” said
Rep. Young. “Alyeska employs approximately 1,600 Alaskans and its project plans call for an influx of over $1 billion to Alaska’s economy over the next five years. They are overseen by both Federal and State agencies and have an outstanding record for pipeline safety. Alyeska’s main line has never suffered a spill from corrosion. When a spill occurred recently at one of its pump stations, all safety measures worked exactly as they should; neither workers nor wildlife were injured.
“Alyeska has major maintenance work planned for the end of the month and the Majority on this subcommittee is actually taking the focus
off of pipeline safety by asking company officials to travel to Washington, D.C. during this time. I appreciate the committee’s interest in pipeline safety, but they should consider the timing of large maintenance projects and the short season we have to do such work in Alaska. To call these representatives here today to testify is not only a waste of time and money, but a slap in the face to all of the hard working Alaskans who maintain our pipeline.”
For video of Rep. Young at today’s hearing, click here.
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